Spring has sprung? Not yet

Published: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 7, 2013 at 12:16 a.m.

It was right after Christmas, and I was talking to a man whose son plays baseball at Ledford. He asked me if I realized baseball season was only eight weeks away.

I didn't realize it. Nor could I believe it. But he was right: spring sports, and I use the term "spring" very loosely, opened up in North Carolina on Feb. 27. Forget the weather. Forget the fact that most teams had put in very little practice time. It was game time, and these games actually counted in the standings.

Now, before you say I'm whining about covering baseball, that's the furthest thing from the truth. I love a good sporting event, I don't care what sport it is. And the fact is, nothing is more relaxing and enjoyable to me to cover than a good baseball or softball game on a nice sunny evening.

Last year, a swimming parent said that I wrote my column — which had an incorrect number of participants — about the state championship swim meet because I didn't want to cover it. That was entirely not the case. I wrote that column because I don't think you should have a state championship in anything and invite 10-15 people who have no chance to win the state championship. That's about like inviting me and 10 other guys to a contest to try to win a date with Faith Hill, and also inviting George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Let's be realistic; I ain't got a chance here.

But spring sports practices were not allowed to start officially until the week of Valentine's Day. So, for most teams, they were practicing less than two weeks leading up to their first games.

This isn't Florida, and this isn't California. It's still very cold here, at least some days, this time of year. And, this year, it has rained about every three days this winter. That means the weather has been far less than ideal for practices, meaning there's absolutely no way coaches have prepared their teams for game situations.

The other problem the weather creates is poor field conditions. For a baseball field to be in peak playing condition, it needs to be sunny and warm most days. When rain or snow or sleet falls, it takes a few warm days to dry the fields up. What's happened this year is, every time the fields have just about gotten back to decent conditions, it's rained again.

But the biggest issue with playing these games so early in the year is, the players simply are not ready for games. There are so many intricacies of the sports that coaches simply cannot teach in a week or two. They can hit the high notes, but when the season is compressed the way it is now, most instruction has to happen during the middle of a game. That's nuts.

It's no secret I'm not a big fan of travel baseball or AAU basketball. But I think this is another by-product of that culture. There was a travel baseball tournament in Clemmons this past weekend, and I imagine some of the players out there on the field haven't practiced more than once or twice.

Parents give their children way too much credit. They think they're way better than they actually are. They put them in travel ball or on AAU teams, thinking a higher level of competition will better prepare them for whatever they think awaits them down the road. But the travel ball culture relies very little on instruction and teaching, from what I've seen, and much more on just getting out there and playing in tournaments.

If you follow a high school team this season, count how many times a player tries unsuccessfully to lay down a bunt, or how many times a pitcher leaves an 0-2 pitch over the heart of the plate. If you really get into it, count how many high school players, late in a tight game, will try to hit behind a runner on second base with no outs, just to move the runner up 90 feet.

These principles are lost on young players now, and the coaches — and whoever makes the schedules — are the ones to blame.

Jason Queen can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 220, or jason.queen@the-dispatch.com.

<p>It was right after Christmas, and I was talking to a man whose son plays baseball at Ledford. He asked me if I realized baseball season was only eight weeks away.</p><p>I didn't realize it. Nor could I believe it. But he was right: spring sports, and I use the term "spring" very loosely, opened up in North Carolina on Feb. 27. Forget the weather. Forget the fact that most teams had put in very little practice time. It was game time, and these games actually counted in the standings.</p><p>Now, before you say I'm whining about covering baseball, that's the furthest thing from the truth. I love a good sporting event, I don't care what sport it is. And the fact is, nothing is more relaxing and enjoyable to me to cover than a good baseball or softball game on a nice sunny evening.</p><p>Last year, a swimming parent said that I wrote my column — which had an incorrect number of participants — about the state championship swim meet because I didn't want to cover it. That was entirely not the case. I wrote that column because I don't think you should have a state championship in anything and invite 10-15 people who have no chance to win the state championship. That's about like inviting me and 10 other guys to a contest to try to win a date with Faith Hill, and also inviting George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Let's be realistic; I ain't got a chance here.</p><p>But spring sports practices were not allowed to start officially until the week of Valentine's Day. So, for most teams, they were practicing less than two weeks leading up to their first games.</p><p>This isn't Florida, and this isn't California. It's still very cold here, at least some days, this time of year. And, this year, it has rained about every three days this winter. That means the weather has been far less than ideal for practices, meaning there's absolutely no way coaches have prepared their teams for game situations.</p><p>The other problem the weather creates is poor field conditions. For a baseball field to be in peak playing condition, it needs to be sunny and warm most days. When rain or snow or sleet falls, it takes a few warm days to dry the fields up. What's happened this year is, every time the fields have just about gotten back to decent conditions, it's rained again.</p><p>But the biggest issue with playing these games so early in the year is, the players simply are not ready for games. There are so many intricacies of the sports that coaches simply cannot teach in a week or two. They can hit the high notes, but when the season is compressed the way it is now, most instruction has to happen during the middle of a game. That's nuts.</p><p>It's no secret I'm not a big fan of travel baseball or AAU basketball. But I think this is another by-product of that culture. There was a travel baseball tournament in Clemmons this past weekend, and I imagine some of the players out there on the field haven't practiced more than once or twice. </p><p>Parents give their children way too much credit. They think they're way better than they actually are. They put them in travel ball or on AAU teams, thinking a higher level of competition will better prepare them for whatever they think awaits them down the road. But the travel ball culture relies very little on instruction and teaching, from what I've seen, and much more on just getting out there and playing in tournaments. </p><p>If you follow a high school team this season, count how many times a player tries unsuccessfully to lay down a bunt, or how many times a pitcher leaves an 0-2 pitch over the heart of the plate. If you really get into it, count how many high school players, late in a tight game, will try to hit behind a runner on second base with no outs, just to move the runner up 90 feet. </p><p>These principles are lost on young players now, and the coaches — and whoever makes the schedules — are the ones to blame. </p><p>Jason Queen can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 220, or jason.queen@the-dispatch.com.</p>